F&ES 614b / 2017-2018

Justice, Nature, and Reflective Environmental Practice Seminar

Nature, identity, and politics intersect in interesting ways in environmental governance. Through an interdisciplinary approach to public health, and urban and environmental studies, we will examine intersectionality and the changing relationship between social systems, urbanization, biodiversity conservation, and environmental justice. Particular attention will be focused on institutional values, reflective environmental practice, and how race, class, gender, and sexuality impacts environmental participation and justice in the distribution of natural resources and the equitable development of cities. Students will examine social theories of “nature,” as well as a range of policy responses to address environmental inequities.

In the seminar, we define reflective practice as the ability to reflect on one's professional experiences, actions, and positionality, so as to engage in a process of continuous learning. Students will focus on “reflective practice” exercises to engage in the practical and theoretical methods used in the field of environmental policy and planning to address the immediate and long-term sustainability challenges posed by global and local environmental change. Urban and sociological theories will be complemented by real-world environmental controversies that require group collaboration to produce in-class presentations, role-playing negotiation case simulations, and the completion of a final research paper.
Enrollment limited to 15